Automatic ship reversing device.



J.A.SAVOY. AUTOMATIC SHIP RBVERSING DEVICE.

1,1 APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1913. 28'

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J.A.SAVOY.

AUTOMATIC SHIP REVERSING 1mm APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1913.

Patented July 28, 1914.

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THE NORRIS PETERS CO4. PHOTO LITHOH WASHINGTON. D. (:4

UN 1E @T JOHN A. SAVOY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC SHIP REVERSIN G DEVICE.

To all whom itnmy concern Be it known that 1, JOHN A. Savor, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Ship Reversing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a reversing device for ships wherein a trigger is supported some distance in advance of the prow of the vessel, by means of a suitable collapsible support, and is connected to the reversing lever of the engine within the ship in such a manner that when the trigger engages an obstruction it reverses the engine before the ship reaches the said obstruction and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide means for automatically reversing the engine of a ship when the said ship comes within a certain distance of an obstruction within its path, and second, to provide a suitable support,'for the reversing means, that may be folded or collapsed when the ship is in port or close quarters.

For a full comprehension of my device reference should be had to the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the front portion of a ship showing my device secured thereto in a partially extended or operating position in full lines, the dotted lines indicating the position of the supporting structure when not in use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the front portion of a ship showing the device partially extended and in an operating position.

The numeral 1 is used to designate the body or hull of a ship to either side of which is rigidly secured the casings 2 in which are slidably mounted the supporting racks 3. Suitable pinions 4 engage the teeth of the racks 3 and are mounted upon a transverse shaft 5 which extends through the ship 1 and is driven in either direction by the steam engine shown at 6.

A V-shaped member 7 has its ends pivotally secured to the outer ends of the racks 3, as shown at 8, and is provided with the extensions 9 which rest on top of the ends of the racks 3, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully described. The member 7 is further provided with the lat- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 14, 1913.

Patented July 28, 191.4.

Serial No. 784,832.

eral. extensions 10 to the ends of which are secured the cables 12. The cables 12, after passing over suitable pulleys or sheaves in the top of the poles 14, are mounted upon suitable drums 15 secured to the pinion shaft 5. The cables 12 support the member 7 at a point in advance of the pivots 8 and when the racks 3 are extended their full length the ends thereof, by reason of their weight, have a tendency to pull downward on the ends of the member 7. This downward movement is prevented by means of the extensions 9 which rest on the top of the racks 3.

A trigger 16 is pivotally secured to the outer end of the member 7 and is provided with a pivoted horizontal extension 18 just above the arcuate portion 17 of the said trigger 16. A. chain 1.) is secured to the member 7 and to the trigger 1.6 for the purpose of preventing the lower end of the said trigger '16 from moving forward beyond a vertical position.

A cable 20 is secured to the upper end of the trigger 16 and after passing over a suitable pulley or sheave in the top of the pole 91 and such other pulleys that may be necessary, according to the location of the engine room, is secured to the reversing lever 22 of the engine which propels the ship.

Suitable hinged supports 2 1 are provided on the bow of the ship 1 for the additional support of the racks The operation is as follows: The device being extended as in Fig. 1 of the drawings as the ship approaches an obstruction in its path the said obstruction engages either the extension 17 or 18 and moves the same, if it is large enough, toward the ship 1. This causes the upper end of the trigger 16 to move outward and pull the line or cable 20 which reverses the engine of the ship and causes the ship to stop and back away before the obstruction is encountered by the said ship. When it is desired to Withdraw the supports for the purpose of docking or entering a port the same is accomplished by means of the engine 6 which rotates the transverse shaft 5 and the pinions 4: and the drums 15 thereon. As the rotation of the pinions 1 move the racks 3 inwardly the pinions 4 moves the racks 3 inwardly the port the member 7. Conversely, when it is desired to extend the racks 3, by reversing the engine 6 the shaft 5 is rotated in the opposite direction which causes the pinions 4 to rotate in a direction that will move the racks 3 outward from the casing 52 and at the same time the drums 15 will pay out the cables 12 at the proper speed for the support of the said racks 3 and the member 7 secured thereto.

The device is also adapted to indicate shallow bottoms in rivers, mud flats and the like in the following manner: The member 7 is allowed to turn on the pivots 8 until the said member 7 and the extensions 18 rest in a vertical position. This will bring the low-er end of the extension 18 below the bottom of the ship 1. As the ship approaches water too shallow for the ship the bottom will encounter the extension 18 and move the same backward which will cause the end of the then horizontal trigger 16 to be pulled downward transmitting the same movement to the cable 20 which will operate the reversing lever 22 and reverse the engine which propels the ship.

The extension 18 is pivoted so that the same may be swun upward and out of the way by any suitable means when the ship is in port or the device not in use.

It is obvious from the foregoing that l have provided simple and effective means that will reverse the engine which propels the ship when encountered by an obstruction in the path ot the said ship.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an automatic reversing device for ships, the combination of suitable casings secured to either side of the ship; racks slidably mounted within the casings; a trans verse shaft extending through the ship; pinions secured to the ends of the transverse shaft and adapted to engage the racks; a V- shaped member pivotally secured to the outer ends of the racks; means for supporting the ii-shaped member; a trigger pivotally secured to the outer end of the ii-shaped memher; a horizontal extension pivot-ally secured to the lower end of the trigger; and a cable secured to the upper end of the trigger and to the reversing lever of the engine which propels the ship and adapted to reverse the said lever when the trigger encounters an obstruction. V

2. in an automatic reversing device for ships the combination of suitable casings secured to either side of the ship; racks slidably mounted within the casings; a transverse shaft extending through the ship; a pinion on each end of the transverse shaft and adapted to engage the racks; a V-shaped member pivotally secured to the outer ends of the racks; lateral extensions secured to the kl-shaped member; suitable drums on the transverse shaft; cables secured to the lateral extensions on the V-shaped member and to the drums on the transverse shaft; means for rotating the transverse shaft in either direction; a trigger pivotally secured to the outer end of the ii-shaped member; a hori- Zontal extension pivotally secured to the lower portion of the trigger; and a'suitable cable secured to the upper end of the trigger and to the reversing lever of the engine which propels the ship so that when the trigger meets an obstruction the upper end oi the trigger will be moved forward and reverse the engine by means of the said cable.

in witness whereof I hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN A. SAVOY.

l/Vitnesses H. W. Enennnnne, Jimrns F. MOCUE.

topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). G. 

